The Teachers

PRESCHOOL

Tria Titus DuBuisson, who leads the Thimbleberry Preschool class, has been teaching at SWS since 2001. She has worked in the education field for over 25 years teaching kindergarten, children's workshops and classes in mime, cooperative games, yoga, and singing. She worked closely with moms and babies as a La Leche League leader and was the Youth Services Librarian at the Sandpoint Library for six years. From the opening of the Sandpoint Waldorf School in 1992 until spring of 1997 Tria was an active parent at SWS and also served as a substitute teacher. She studied English Education and Psychology at Southern Illinois University, completed the foundation year at Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California , and received her Waldorf early childhood teaching certification from the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy in Vancouver, B.C..

KINDERGARTEN

Amanda Knapp was born in Idaho and is a long-time resident of Sandpoint . This is her first year as lead teacher at the Sandpoint Waldorf School, h owever, she assisted with Jeanette Rinehart in the kindergarten during the 2004-2005 school year. Amanda attended the University of Idaho while working as the kindergarten assistant and graduated in May of 2007 with a B.S. in Elementary Education. During the summers she is a camp counselor for Camp Eureka , a Waldorf-inspired summer camp. Amanda is currently attending a Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training at the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy in Vancouver, BC.

FIRST GRADE

Erin McNamara recently arrived to Sandpoint with her family from southern Montana , where she graduated from Montana State University-Billings with a B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education.  She is delighted to begin her teaching career as a 1^st grade teacher at the Sandpoint Waldorf School .  Previous to this, she has been very involved in the School of the Beartooths, a Waldorf-initiative school in Montana as a Kindergarten Assistant, substitute, Aftercare Coordinator, parent, and committee member.  Erin ’s family includes her husband, Ted, an alpine ski coach, and children: Tristian and Addison, both students here at SWS in the 7^th and 1^st grade respectively.  In addition to teaching, Erin ’s other interests include travel—she has lived and traveled abroad and enjoys enhancing her language skills – and playing outdoors—hiking, gardening, biking and skiing.  She and her family are very excited to be a part of the Sandpoint community.

SECOND GRADE

Julie McCallan has taught at SWS since 1999. Prior to moving to Sandpoint she taught kindergarten, first, and second grades at the Roaring Fork Waldorf School in Carbondale, Colorado. Julie holds an MA in English Literature from the University of Illinois, a BA from the University of Colorado and a Waldorf teaching certification from Eugene, Oregon. She grew up in the Southwest and spent much of her childhood camping and hiking. After serving in the Peace Corps in Ecuador where she taught sewing, cooking and gardening to children and adults, Julie settled into a life of farming with her husband Keith and their two children. Her life-long wish to live in a forest led Julie and her family to Northern Idaho. Julie’s daughter, Megan, graduated from SWS in 2001 and is attending the American School of Eurythmy in Weed, CA. After graduating her 8th grade class in 2006, Julie took a sabbatical and worked on an organic farm in Costa Rica with her teenage son Ethan. She is looking forward to working with a new group of students.

THIRD GRADE

Jeanette Rinehart has been teaching since 1993 - in Montana, New Hampshire and now in Idaho. She taught kindergarten at SWS for seven years before begining an adventure in the grades. Before starting a career, Jeanette raised two daughters and operated a home daycare specializing in infants and special needs children. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Montana State University, an M.Ed. in Reading from the University of New Hampshire, an Idaho teaching certification, and a Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Certification from the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy. Jeanette just completed the second grade training at the Rudolph Steiner College and is looking forward to second grade.

FOURTH GRADE

Michael Seifert graduated from Cornell University in 1977 with a degree in biology. Further interests led him to the ceramic arts and a career in computer technology. Michael became a stay at home dad in 1997, and his love of children and education led him to begin his Waldorf teacher training in 2000. Before moving to Sandpoint with his family, Michael taught first and second grades at the Marin Waldorf School in California. Michael's daughter Rachael is in sixth grade this year and his youngest, Alana, is in second.

FIFTH GRADE

Michael Pinchera began his teaching career at the Detroit Children’s School, an alternative school in a run-down downtown area with open classrooms. He taught 7 – 13 year-olds during his first year, ran a summer program, and taught 10 – 12 year-olds the second year.  Near the end of this second year, in the spring of 1977, he was introduced to the writings of Rudolf Steiner. Within weeks he launched upon an ever-expanding path of exploration and discovery. He began to study Anthroposophy at the Waldorf Institute in Detroit . His daughter, Lilah, was born in 1982. In 1985 he became a single father. In 1986, he and Lilah moved to Austin , Texas , where he took his first class as a main lesson teacher. In 1993, he moved to Davis , California , where he taught for two years. He took a couple of years off from teaching, applied and was accepted to a graduate school in Berkley , California . While visiting family in Michigan he received an invitation to apply to the Sandpoint Waldorf School in Idaho . After several phone conversations, he visited, applied and was hired. Since then he has been engaged with the Sandpoint Waldorf School and other schools in various ways. He has completed training as a Waldorf High School teacher at the Center for Anthroposophy in New Hampshire . As an anthroposophist, he has been active in Sandpoint, and has made strong connections with other anthroposophists in other areas. He is a member of the Anthroposophical Society, and a member of the First Class of Spiritual Science.

SIXTH GRADE

Gerald Fluhrer has taught at SWS since 1997. He was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and received a BA in Social Science at California State University at Chico. Gerald became interested in Waldorf education after studying Anthroposophy for 12 years with Michael and Karen McPherson at the American Eurythmy School in Weed, California. This relationship led to studies in Waldorf education and on to teaching grades 1 and 2 at a Mount Shasta Waldorf initiative. Gerald’s daughter Sophie graduated from SWS in 2000.

SEVENTH GRADE

Thomas Jenkins, a native of the Wood River Valley of South Central Idaho, joined the Sandpoint Waldorf School in 1994. Before beginning his teaching career, Thomas traveled extensively and studied architecture at the University of Idaho. Thomas studied the foundations of Rudolph Steiner’s philosophy as well as an in-depth study of Steiner’s interpretations of the work of German philosopher and scientist Goethe at Rudolf Steiner College. His studies lead him to a Minnesota Camphill Village where he provided a healthy social and working environment to those with special needs. Thomas also teaches the art of chalk drawing to teachers at Sound Circle in Seattle.

HANDWORK

YvetteMcGowan was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Bay Area. She graduated from Sonoma State University in 1988 with a BA in mathematics and in 2004 graduated from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. Yvette taught math and handwork at the Marin Waldorf School for eight years. She has been married to Steve Holt for 20 years, and they have two children, Savannah 17 and Django 14 who who graduated from SWS last year. In 1998 Steve and Yvette started a summer camp for children on the shores of beautiful Lake Pend Orielle. They moved to Sandpoint permanently (as permanent as life can be) in 2005. Yvette considers herself a student of life and wishes she had more time to garden, knit and ride her bike.

VIOLIN

MUSIC

Andrea Lyman grew up in the Palouse country of SE Washington state and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education at the University of Idaho. She taught in public schools for 10 years in Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon before becoming a founding parent and long time music teacher for the Sandpoint Waldorf School. She served as President of the Board at SWS and on many committees over the years. She earned her Waldorf music teacher certification at Sunbridge College in New York and, since its inception in 2001, has served as the president of the Association of North American Waldorf Music Educators of which she was also a founding member. Andrea has organized the annual Waldorf Music Teacher’s Conference at Sunbridge College for several years where she has also taught various classes in Waldorf music education. She has also mentored Waldorf music teachers in various schools throughout the western US and Canada. Andrea has taught private music lessons for over 33 years and currently teaches piano as well as several groups of home-schooled students out of her home. Andrea's sons Muir and Jarré graduated from SWS in 2004 and 2005.

WOODWORKING

Chris Hecht has been a professional designer/maker for 35 years creating both fine furniture and sculptural forms. He completed his Waldorf teacher training at Emerson College in England 20 years ago and has worked as administrative director at Haleakala Waldorf School in Hawaii. Chris works in many different aspects of design and has been involved with the Sandpoint Waldorf School since its inception in 1992. Chris is ably assisted by his wife Cheyenna Whittier.

Cheyenna Whittier is a founding parent of the Sandpoint Waldorf School and enjoys her work with woodworking students. Her son, Grey, graduated from SWS in 2002.

FRENCH

Emily Faulkner was born and raised in Massachusetts and has taught French at SWS since 1994. Her French studies began in 7th grade and continued through a semester at the Sorbonne, a year in France, and a BA in French from the University of Idaho. In 2004 Emily spent three weeks in southern France immersed in the language. Emily has lived in North Idaho for 18 years and has one daugher who graduated from SWS and another currently enrolled. After motherhood and teaching come a small flock of sheep, gardening, fiber arts and outdoor fun. Besides French Emily also shares her vast knowledge of the fiber arts with many classes.

EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSISTANTS

Elise Boyce is the preschool assistant. Before moving to Sandpoint she earned a BA in sociology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Then the great outdoors called to her, and she backpacked around California while studying wilderness skills, philosophy, religion eco-psychology and Native American Traditions through an amazing Humboldt State program called the Sierra Institute. After exploring the mountains she embarked on a Semester at Sea through the University of Pittsburgh and traveled the world visiting places like Japan, Brazil and India. Being an adventurer, Elise followed her heart to Sandpoint where she now has interests in children and healing.

Our kindergarten assistant Hali Clizer was born in the cabin her father built in the backwoods just north of Sandpoint. Her adolescent years took her away to Eastern Washington in body, but never in spirit. Hali's extended family remained in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains which made her a frequent visitor. She earned a degree in English with a focus on creative writing from Washington State University then returned to the place she has always considered home to find her own place in the Sandpoint community. After working on an alpaca ranch for nearly two years, she found her way to the Waldorf School first as an occasional volunteer helper in the Thimbleberry Preschool class. Her previous experience with children includes many joyful hours with her young nephew and volunteer time with the WSU Children's Center during her time as a student in Pullman.

ADMINISTRATION

Susan Prez was born and raised in Michigan and served as administrative assistant to the president at the North American Farm Alliance where she learned about the workings of non-profit organizations. She learned of Waldorf Education in 1988 and began studying Anthroposophy while volunteering at a Waldorf-styled kindergarten in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Susan is a founding parent of SWS and has worked at the school since its inception. Besides her administrative duties Susan has worked as a kindergarten assistant, substitute, and currently teaches first grade handwork. She enjoys instilling a love of working with the hands and showing children how to make beautiful things that can also be used. Susan’s son Ben graduated from SWS in 2000 and is studying journalism at the University of Montana.

Stephanie Sandish hails from over-the-pond in the Thames Valley, England, arriving in the states in 1982. She and her family moved to Sandpoint from Monterey Bay, California. Stephanie's daughter, Morgan, graduated from eighth grade last year, but Stephanie is having so much fun, that she has decided to stay on with us. We are very lucky to have her warm and capable presence in our school.